"The crash itself was really no different or remarkable to any other," Mobius Future Racing general manager Tom Petty told cyclingnews.com. "A small bunch of riders came into the corner. It was a bit deceiving; they realised they'd misjudged it and in the correction, lost control and crashed," he said.

Young, from New Hampshire, in his third year with the Axeon team, was racing his first Tour of the Gila.

Fellow cyclists paid tribute to him after hearing the news.

One, Nate Morse, wrote on Instagram: "Chad Young: A friend, a teammate, and an inspiration. A talent, a genius, but humble. An unforgettable smile, laugh, and personality." (Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina,; Editing by Neville Dalton)